Dead man tentatively identified

Rachelann Ferris

Published
6:00 pm CST, Tuesday, January 7, 2003

According to a preliminary autopsy performed by the Harris County Medical Examiner's office, the cause of death appears to be blunt-force trauma to the head, said Lt. Dan Norris with the Montgomery County Sheriff's Department.

The identification is tentative pending further testing to confirm the man's identity.

Residents in the 5800 block of Jackson Road south of Dobbin told officers they were walking along the road when they spotted the body in a drainage ditch.

The body apparently had been washed downstream toward Lake Creek when it became entangled on some debris near one of the railroad track pillars.

The body appeared to be wrapped in a large white piece of fabric.

Lake Creek and the surrounding bodies of water were overfilled after recent heavy rains. The high waters could have been hiding the body for sometime, he said.

The search for Willis began Christmas Eve after family members reported him missing. Investigators searched Willis' small woodframe house off of Tisdel Road about two miles south of Dobbin on FM 1486. Inside, they found blood and possible signs of a struggle.

Investigators also recovered Willis' maroon 1997 Dodge Neon a short distance south along FM 1486, where it apparently had been run off into the woods alongside the road. Inside the car, officers found more blood, but no sign of Willis.

Willis' family told authorities they had no contact with him over the Christmas holidays, supporting investigators' fears that Willis may have been killed.

Officials said they believe Willis was killed Dec. 21.

The investigation is continuing.

Anyone with information in the case is asked to call the Montgomery County Sheriff's Department at (281) 297-6510 or (936) 760-5800.